Automatic throw-off and cylinder-adjusting mechanism for rotary presses.



E. L. JONES. AUTOMATIC THROW-OFF A ND CYLINDER ADJUSTING MECHANIS'M FOR ROTARY PRESSES. APPLlCATiON HLED APR. 28, 1908. RENEW ED us. 8, I914.

l,1'?4.,99. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET- I.

Fig. l

wanes $00 E. 1. JONES. AUTQMATIC THROW-OFF AND CYLINDER ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRESSES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 19081 RENEWED AUG. 8,1914.

1,174,989. I I Patented Mar. 14,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

l/Vi Imeooco EDWARD L. JONES, or

" TE sTA Es-PAN DOVER, DELAWARE, AssIeNo'R T RTHUR' HtrEY, or" PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. I

AUTOMATIC THROW-OFF AND CYLINDER-ADJUSTING.MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRESSES.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application -fi1ed April 28, 1908, Serial No. 429,636. Renewed August 8, 1914. Serial No. 855,905.

To all whom it may concern." f

Be it known that 'I, EDWARD L. JONES, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at 4 Dover, in the county of Kent and State of job-press, comprising continuously revolv- Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Throw- Olf and Cylinder-Adjusting Mechanism for Rotary Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will .en

able others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same This invention is more particularly adapted forrotary printing-presses used in connection with an automatic sheet-feeder, or

other rotary sheet-printing presses, such for example as web-presses where the paperweb is cutinto sheets which are successively taken on an impression cylinder. In a broader aspect, however, the invention has a Y wider range of adaptability to various types of sheet-printing presses and designed to allow the type and impression surfaces to be thrown otl. or on impression.

The term rotary press is. employed herein to signify. any printing-press having arotary (including oscillatory) impressioncylindercooperating with a printing-form on any well knowntype-carrier. The-par-- ticular species of press herein selected for illustrating the invention is a two cylinder 1ng type and impression cylinders, and

equipped with an automaticsheet feeden which is madethe subject-matter of my companion application filed April 28,1908, Se-

' rial No. 429,635.

The mainobject of the invention is to provide improved trip-mechanism for preventing th'eprinting operation of the press by.

automatic throw oif of the impression-cylinder without arresting its rotation, so as to overcome the liability of spoilingthe impression-surface or tympan by repeated contact with the printing-form, when the supply of sheets has become exhausted or when for any cause the grippers of the impression"- cylinder fail to take a sheet.

A further object is to provide improved.

means for adjusting the shaft of the impression-cylinder for paralleling the type and I impression surfaces when the printing-form than at the other end, so as to avoid the necessity of-extra underlays or packings with concomitant dilli'cult adjustments to obtain a uniform or even impression. The lnvention will hereinafter be fully describedby reference to theaccompanying. drawings, whlch form a part of this specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In saiddrawings: Figure 1 is a side View of a rotary press embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shaft of the impressioncylinder and its bearings. F1g.-3 is anend View, of the bearing for the cylinder-shaft, looking at the opposite side of the press from that illustratedinFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic front view of the press showing the electricallycontrolled means for actuating the throw-off. Fig. 5

Patented Mar.14, 1916.

is-a detail of one of the grippers open. Fig.

6 is a detail of said gripper closing on a sheet of paper, which is indicated as insulation. Fig. 7 is a detail of said gripper closed in the absence of a sheet of paper.

In the drawings, the press-mechanism is shown in. an appropriate frame A constructed upona pedestal-base. I

B denotes the type-cylinder on which is fixedthe stereotype plate constituting the printing-form.

Y C denotes the impression-cylinder which is provided with the usual tympan forming the impression-surface and which carries' sheet-grippers.

F indicates. an automatic sheet-feeding attachment which is fully set forth in my said copending application. It comprises,

in general terms, an upper reciprocating feed-table and lower registering-table. The reciprocating feed-table, operating in conjunction with a pneumatic sheetseparator, feeds the sheets to coacting-feed-rollswhich deliver it upon the registering-table, from which the sheet is taken by the grippers of the impression-cylinder. in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. i

Motion is communicated from the driveshaft lhaving a pinion 2 meshing with gear 3 which in turn meshes with gear 4, whereby the type andimpression cylinders are the guide blocks 19 and A battery 25, of preferably dry cells, is contained in a chamber in the base of the caused to revolve oppositely and at-the same speed.- Pinion 2 also meshes with gear 5 on a shaft 6 whose special function in connection with this invention will appear later. Gears 3, 4 and 5 are'of equal size Power for. running the press is applied bya belt.

(not shown) adapted to be shifted by a controlling lever 7 from loose pulley 8 to fast pulley 9 on the drive-shaft 1 (Fig. i). The axisof the impression-cylinder is capable of shifting toefi ect the throw-off. As

- a preferred means for this purpose, the shaft 10 on which the impression-cylinder revolves 1s eccentric from its .trunnlons which are "journaled' in the opposite sides of the-frame of the press. On one end or trunnionof said shaft is aflixed a throw-off'device or crank 11. The crank 11 is shown depend 'ing andprovided with a rearwardly-extending elbow-arm 12' which has'an in-' wardly-extending arm 13. A strong pullspring 14, inside the frame, having one end attached. to'the frame and the other end secured to thearm 13,,holds the impressioncylinder in its normal relation to the typecylinder. A; set-screw'15, tapped through the arm 13 and abutting the rear' of the frame, limits the position of the cylinder under pull of its spring and makes this position adjustable. for light or heavy work.

On the shaft 6 is a cam 16 which works against a-friction-roller. 17 carried by a reciprccato-ry member, preferably a slotted' link 18, which slides back and forth on guide-blocks 1 9 and 20. carried by the "arm 12 of the crank 11. Said slotted link is reciprocated in one direction by the cam 16' and in the opposite direction. by a pullspring 21 having one end attached to the frame and its other endfastened to the link.

Said link 18. carries in a suitable case an electro-magnet 22whose armature 23 controls a movable trip-pin 24.working in ahole in the link. Whenthe magnet is 'energized the pin 24 is thereby caused to project into the slot of the link in front, of one.

of the guide-blocks, preferably the front .block' 19; and on demagnetization the pin retracts. In the. construction illustrated,

the magnet is shown attached to the bottom ofthe link andlits'armature is arranged to lift and drop the pin, which constitutes a trip for engaging a stop. (block 19) on the crank 11. ..According to'whether the magnet is energized or not,- the slotted link 18 will at each reciprocation: rock" the crank and thereby throw-off the impression cvlinder from theform cylinderwithout dis.-

. connecting their-intergeared connections, or 1t Wlll simply reclprocate' inoperatively on press..' Circuit wires from the battery are indlcated by the lettcrsa and b. Onein'sutreatise lated circuit wire I) leads to binding post (Z mentaltrack e opposite one end of-the iinpression-cylinder; said track-.e-being insu-' lated from the iron of the machine. The impressiomcylinder has in its surfaces an insulated pin or plunger-'7" which projects through a hole in the: tympan and is so 10- cated-that one ofthe gripper fingers 9 will close upon it.

byan insulated wire it with another insulated pin or plunger 2' in the end or headlof thecylinder, which 'plungerz' is adapted to contact with the s'egmental track 6. switch 0 has an insulatedconnection with the belt-shifting lever 7, whereby the switch is opened'and closed according to whether lated circuit wire a leadsto'one pole of the y magnet, there being a switch 0 interposed. p The other pole ofthe magnet is grounded to the iron of the machine. The'other insu- Said plunger f'is-connected The the controlling lever throws the belt to the applied for running the machine.

Assumlng that the machine-1s running and the switch closed,the operation is as fol- .loose or fast pulley insother words the switch is closed only when th power lsj lows: During each rotationof the impression-cylinder, if its grippers take a sheet from the registering-table of the feeder, the

sheet of paper so taken insulates the gripin Fig. 6, so that the electric circuit remains ope11, and hence the trip for pin .24 remains down and allows the slotted link 18 to rethe sheets are successively supplied toand taken by thei pression-cylinder,said imr pression cylinder is maintained in its normal relation to the type-cylinder vfor making the impression.

plunger), as indicated in F ig." 7, the'grippei' being connected to one pole of the'magnet 22. through the iron of the machine,and 1the plunger f being connected by the wire it to the.plu nger which contacts with the f track e which latter is in connection through 4 the circuit-wires and battery. with the other- But if the grippers .as they. close fail to take a sheet, the electric-circuit is closed by the gripper '9 closing down on the per finger g from the plunger 'f,as' indicated p'oleof the magnet. The'closing of: the cir-Q stop or block 19 whereby on backward throw ofthe link 18 the crank 11' i qrocked ciently to separate its impression-surface from-the printing-form on the type-cylinder and Without disconnecting their, intergeared connections 3 and 4, the impression-cylinder being returned by its pull-spring 141 So long as the supply'of paper is exhausted, or

until the grippers take :fsheet, the impression-cylinder will thus be thrownout and returned atea'ch rotation. To express it 70. which is in electrical connection with a segloo ciprocate inoperatively. Hence, so long as briefly, during the phase of rotation while vthe pin or plunger z, constituting a contact point, rides on the segmentaktrack e, the

gripper g and pin or plunger f constitute terminals of an open electrical circuit, which is adapted to be closed only if the gripper closes on said plunger f, but, said circuit will remain open if a sheet of paper is received, sincethe paper insulates said terminals.

- At preferably the side of the press on posite the throw-ofi' device, one end or trunnion of the eccentric shaft'lO is journaled in an eccentric bushing 26 having an arm 27 provided with a short segmental slot through which is inserted a screw-bolt 28 for rigidly fastening the arm. On loosening the screwbolt 28,- the arm 27 can be a1igularly-adjusted, thereby changing the center of the eccentrio-bushing 26 for axial adjustment of the shaft 10 on which the impression-cylinder 3 revolves.

This devlce provides a convenient mode of paralleling the impression-surface and printing-form to secure an even or uniform impression longitudinally, Having thus described my invention, what I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

, 1. In aprinting-press, the combination of a rotary impression-cylinder and coacting printing-form, throw-ofi mechanism comprising an. aXis-adjusting'crank for said cylinder, a reciprocatory member carrying a normally-inoperative trip, an electro-magnet controlling said trip, gripper fingers and means for energizing said magnet controlled by the grasping of sheets by the gripper fingers to allow the trip to throw said crank only when no sheet is taken by the gripperfingers.

2. Ina printing-press having gripper -fingers, a throw-ofi'. mechanism comprising a said arm to draw the same in onedirection,

a slotted link slidable upon said guide-block, means for reciprocating said link, a trip adapted to enter the slot of said link to. engage a guide-block, an electro-magnet connected to move said trip-into the slot of the link, a source of electricity having its circuit wires connectedto said magnet, and a gripper upon the impression cylinder having its members electrically connected to the circuit wires of the magnet and insulated from each other by grasping a sheet.

4. In a printingpress, a rotary impression cylinder, a printing form coacting there'- with, a shaft journaled at its ends and having the impression cylinder rotatable upon a portion eccentric to its trunnions, a crank upon one of the trunnions of said shaft and formed with an arm having guide-blocks,

and the crank in one direction, a slotted link slidable upon said guide-blocks, means for reciprocating'such link, a-trip adaptedto I enter the slot of said link to engage a guideblock, a paper gripper upon the impression a spring connected to said arm to draw it I cylinder, and automatic electro-magnetic means forcontrolling said tripand connect- .ed to the members of saidgrippen.

' 5. In a printin press, the combination of a rotary impression cylinder. and coacting printing-form, throw-ofimechanism for effecting a relative movement between the said cylinder and'form to bring them into and out of cooperative relation one with the other, said throw-0E mechanism including a crank, a reciprocatory member for effecting the movement of the crank, a normally inoperative trip, an electro-magnetcontrolling said trip, gripper fingers, and'means for energizing said magnet controlled by the grasping of a sheetby the gripper fingers to allow the trip to throw said crank only when no sheet is taken by the gripper fingers,

6. In a printing press, thecombination of a rotary impression cylinder and coacting printingform, throw-off-mechanism for effecting a relative movement between the said cylinder and form'to bring'them into and out of cooperative relation one with the,

' other, sa'idthrow-ofi' mechanism'including a crank, a reciprocatory member for effecting the movement of the crank, a rotary cam for actuating said member, a normally inoperative trip, an electro-magnet control-' ling said trip gripper fingers, and means for energizing said magnet controlled by the grasping of a sheet by the gripper fingers to allow the trip to throw said crank only when no sheet is taken by the gripper fingers. v

7. In a printing press, the combination with the intergeared form and impression cylinders one of which is mounted for movement toward and from the other to bring the cylinders 'intoand out of cooperative printing relation without disconnecting their intergeared connections and without arresting the rotation of either cylinder, of a throw-ofi mechanism for shifting one of said cylinders relative to the other for the purpose specified, and electrically controlled operating means for said throw-off mechanism including an electro-magnet in :1 nori mally open circuit, an electric terminal on the impression cylinder included in said circuit, 'a gripper finger, carried by l the impress on cylinder adapted to 'makecons tact'with saidterminal, said gripper fing'er constituting another terminal of said circuit, the construction and arrangement of partsbeing such that the circuit will 10" gripper finger, and'thus separate the formwith the intergeared form, and impression be completed through the said magnet upon the failure of a sheet to be gripped by the and impression cylinders without disengaging their intergeared connections and without arresting the rotation of either cylinder. 8..In a printing press, the combination cylinders one of which is movable toward l of said cylinders relative to the other. for-- the purpose specified, said throw ofii mecha- I and from the other to bring the cylinders into and out ofcooperativevprinting relation Without arresting the rotation of either, of a throw-off mechanism for shifting one nism including a cam-operated reciproca tory link for positively moving the said sheet to be printed into Contact with the said gripper finger, and thus'separate the form and impression cylinders 'withoutidisshiftable cylinder, .a normally, inoperative magnetically controlled'member for render- I ing the said link operative, a magnet for actuating said member, gripper-fingers carried by the impression cylinder for carrying the printing form, an electric circuit in ,Whichthe said magnet 1s included, and an electric terminal carried by the impression cylinder 1 with'which-one of the gripper fingers cooperates, whereby the circuit will" be -completed through the said magnet toactuate the magnetically controlled member upon' the failure of'a sheet to be gripped by the engaging their gears and without arresting the rotation of either cylinder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, 

